weeknight meals Archives

Red Lentil Soup with Fresh Salsa

May 8, 2018May 8, 2018 Rachel Sherwood

This simple soup is light yet filling. Perfect for everyone in the family. You can adjust the heat level as you choose, leave it chunky for more texture or fully puree for a healthy meal for baby. The flavors get better with time and the fresh salsa brings vibrancy to this healthy soup. This recipe features the added health benefits of Red Palm Oil to add an extra antioxidant punch.

Red Lentil Soup with Fresh Salsa

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons red palm oil, coconut or olive oil

1 large onion, chopped about 1 cup

1 large carrot, peeled and diced about ½ cup

2-4 garlic cloves, minced about 1 tablespoon

1 -inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced, about 2 tablespoons

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Pinch of ground chili powder or cayenne, optional

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup red lentils

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice or lemon juice

Optional Garnishes: Fresh salsa, chopped fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley, yogurt, lemon or lime wedges

Red Palm Oil has distinct health bennefits and a vibrate color

In a large pot, heat oil over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion carrot, garlic and ginger, and sauté about 3 minutes.

The Red Palm Oil is great for sauteing vegetables in.

Stir in tomato paste, cumin, paprika, turmeric salt and pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.

Add broth, lentils and bay leaf, bring to a simmer, then turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 20-30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.

So easy even my son wanted to help. He loves this soup even more when he gets to cook it.

Remove the bay leaf, using an immersion or regular blender* or a food processor*, purée half the soup then add it back to pot. Soup should be somewhat chunky. Add lime juice and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Using an immersion blender is easiest. You can use a traditional blender or food processor but be sure to cool the soup first.

*Note allow soup to cool before blending in a traditional blender or food processor. Blend small quantifies at a time to prevent an exploding blender.

Garish with fresh chopped herbs, citrus slice, top with fresh tomato or creamy avocado salsa.

Fresh Tomato Salsa

2 medium tomatoes, diced

½ cup cilantro, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

1-2 Tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice

1 small red onion, chopped (about ½ cup)

1½ teaspoon jalapeno pepper, minced, optional

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Serve with soup or chips

Creamy Avocado Salsa

1 large avocado, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

¼ cup Greek style yogurt

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Serve with soup or chips

Learn more about the health benefits of Red Palm Oil here.

Simple Fish Tacos with Fresh Salsa

May 8, 2018May 8, 2018 Rachel Sherwood

These are a recent quick meal addition as I was testing out Red Palm Oil. I found I love to use it when making these simple Fish Tacos. The Red Palm oil gives the fish a vibrant color, additional health benefits and a subtle unique flavor. Top with fresh salsa and enjoy this simple healthy dish.

Simple Fish Tacos with Fresh Salsa

Fish:

2 Tablespoons Red Palm Oil or coconut oil

1 lb mahi mahi, cod, tilapia, halibut, or other white fish

Fish Marinade:

¼ teaspoon turmeric

2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tablespoon)

1 Tablespoon lemon or lime juice (fresh)

2 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari

2 teaspoon honey

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Salsa:

2 medium tomatoes, diced

½ cup cilantro

2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

1-2 Tablespoon lemon or lime juice

1 small red onion, chopped (about ½ cup)

1½ teaspoon jalapeno pepper, minced, optional

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper to taste

Other:

4, 6in corn/flour tortillas

1/2 cup white Mexican or cheddar cheese, grated, optional

2 cups shaved romaine, or cabbage

½ avocado, sliced or diced, optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a small bowl combine all the fish marinating ingredients. Chop fish into ½ in cubes. Lightly stir to coat in sauce and allow to marinate at least 15 minutes but as long as overnight.

Chop and mix all ingredients for salsa in a bowl. Set aside. Prep remaining ingredients like grating cheese, chopping lettuce and slicing avocado.

When ready to eat, heat sauté pan over medium heat add red palm oil. Remove fish from marinade discard any excess liquid. Sauté the fish in red palm oil until cooked through about 3 minutes. You may need to do this in 2 batches if your pan is smaller. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Warm tortillas if desired top with shredded lettuce/cabbage, fish, fresh salsa cheese and avocado if desired. Adjust salt, pepper and lime juice to taste. Serve hot.

Learn more about the health benefits of Red Palm Oil Here

Life is busy, Join Meals Made Easy

September 15, 2017September 15, 2017 Rachel Sherwood

I know, you have heard it before, “easy weeknight meals, dinner in 30 minutes or less, quick cooking, meal planning” whatever you want to call it. You are not the only one that struggles to get dinner on the table. There are so many resources out there to “help” but so many of them fall short from providing sustainable results for the average busy individual. I get it, and after having a child I realized even more the struggle and need for quality foods and value of family mealtime. I have put together my top secrets to mealtime success. The tools you really need to simply create consistent quality mealtimes. What I have found is there is not just one way to get a meal on the able and each night may look different depending on a variety of factors like time, energy, mood, and on hand ingredients. There are several ways to make your life easier and healthier. I share the best of the best in this class. Practical ways to get real food on the table without losing your sanity.

Join me at Blooma in Minneapolis
Meals Made Easy
September 23rd, 1pm
A happy family starts in the kitchen. Eating a nutritious meal promotes healthy growth for children and can help you feel your best. Being a mom with young children only makes it more difficult to plan and cook. Learn simple strategies to make mealtime easier so you can get dinner on the table quickly, saving you time, money, and sanity while bringing the family together.

By attending this session you will take away:

Simple, practical techniques to make mealtime easier.
Maximize your efficiency in the kitchen.
New ideas and recipes for make ahead freezer meals.
Time saving methods for packaging and storing food so dinner is ready when you need it.
Money saving tools that keep you organized so food is not going to waste.

Space is limited, reserve your seat today!

This is a presentation style class if you are interested in a cooking demonstration and tasting class join Eat Well For Less on September 30th.

See other upcoming events here!

Dreams Can Become a Reality, cooking class for real people

April 13, 2017 Rachel Sherwood

They are finally here! I am so excited after much research and restructuring the new cooking class series are finally up, ready to serve you and your friends. Based on feedback from clients the new class structure is designed to give you the maximum amount of success in the least amount of time. Each class series includes a Confident Cook Pre Assessment Bonus where you discover what best support your cooking lifestyle and helps you get what you really need in the kitchen to achieve your goals. Each class series contains three hands on classes in the topic of interest. Why 3 you ask? I want you to get sustainable results not just learn a new recipe. Three classes is an ideal starting point for you to have enough exposure, resources and guidance to have success when on your own. One class will get you inspired and interested but it’s just not enough for continued result that work in your current lifestyle. I am not interested in having you well eat for a day. I help you live the life you always imagined creating the food and parties you dream of a reality.

I am currently really excited about the Dinner Made Easy cooking class series because this is how I personally make my busy life work. I am committed to family meals and only eating quality foods. With work, family needs and hungry toddler I physically can’t cook every night. This series shares the secrets of how I make quality family mealtime a reality and how we can have braised duck and roasted vegetables or pecan crusted chicken and spinach salad on the table in less than 10 minutes on a Tuesday night.

The Simply Delicious cooking class series is also a go to for me as once you learn the proper techniques to searing and making simple sauces delicious dinners are easy to come by. The soups class in this series keeps something on hand for quick lunches and dinner at all times and it is an easy way for me to clean out the fridge, never letting produce go to waste.

newparentcare — New Parent Care helps set you and your family up for lifelong healthy eating success that works with your lifestyle.

The soft spot in my heart is thrilled to offer this completely new series that was beta tested last summer with an amazing group of moms. The New Parent Care series has created life-changing results for the soon-to-be and new mom. You need more than just childbirth classes and a few freezer meals to easily welcome a baby into your family. It requires a whole new way of simplifying cooking and making it work for your schedule. During this time your health is so important and you are setting the groundwork for a lifetime of healthy adventurous eating for your children. I am truly in love with this new offering and thrilled to support families in creating healthy habits for a lifetime.

Take a look at all cooking class offerings here. Not sure which one is right for you contact me for a FREE phone session to help figure out what will get you on the right track to success in the kitchen fastest.